PROJECT: BLADEWORLD
by RaikenArashi
Summary: 2022 AD:A year of when one can fully immerse themselves in the realm of fantasy. The world of gaming was revolutionised and with their interest piqued, gamers around the world latched unto this new fantasyland: Remnant Sword Online. This is the story of one such player and his sibling, as he and 150 000 players discovered that what was a dream turned into a nightmare.(AU,OC Mains)


**PROJECT: BLADEWORLD Vol I**

 **Chapter I: The Start of a New Game (Wait, There's No Save System?)**

 **(I do not own Sword Art Online, OCs are owned by me however. Canon and some Non-Canon Characters are included.)**

* * *

 _2022, a time of technological innovation, a time when the whole whole can connect to one another through the global network. A time where the realm of fantasy can become reality._

 _That man who achieved that reality was Kayaba Akihiko; the CEO of the game development company Argus Gaming He also is the the Project Director and genius behind the company's flagship VR machine, NerveGear, and its flagship game PROJECT: BLADEWORLD, which was revealed as the upcoming Full-Dive VR-MMORPG: Remnant Sword Online._

 _The NerveGear was the first Full-Dive VR machine. It was developed with funding and backing from Sony Entertainment to be the next generation in VR gaming technology. It was regarded by tech critics, and gamers alike to be the first commercial "true" virtual reality headset. It was unlike its predecessors, which used headsets with stereoscopic displays and binaural headphones to simulate a pseudo-virtual reality, and still required the use of a controller to function and the users interaction to the outside world._

 _The NerveGear is different. It does not require a separate platform, nor a controller for the user to operate it. Instead everything is self-contained in the helmet, and to fully simulate the virtual reality experience, it was equipped with specially tuned EM emitters in the microwave frequency to simulate all of the five senses, transmitting the sensations directly to the brain and cutting off any stimuli from the outside world, giving the user a true and unique feeling of "Diving" to another world._

 _Called the "Full Immersion Virtual Reality Dive", it's official term was "Full-Dive". With its advent, and the vast improvement from the digital internet to the improved and more powerful quantum data network: the GlobalNet, saw the widespread revival of the MMO Genre._

 _"The act of discarding one's reality and going to another, the Full-Dive phenomenon, is something that me and the development team at Argus Gaming, have always envisioned for this future, the new world of endless possibilities, and this will be the beginning."_

 _"So me and the dev-team who have worked so hard to bring you the future of gaming would like to say, Welcome and please enjoy our game."_

* * *

"Interesting," Mused a 14 year-old junior high school student, as he put down the tech magazine he was reading. "The new world of possibilities huh?" He leaned back into his chair. "Sounds ripped off straight from a shounen manga, or anime."

He was Akira Rakurai, or more known in his online alias as "Raiken". He is living with his younger sister in a small house and dojo owned by his kenjutsu/kendo teacher, who took them in and cared for them after their parents died. He turned his attention to a gaming news live-stream that he was watching earlier: The countdown to the launch of Remnant Sword Online.

"Hai-hai everyone, this is your favourite treasure hunter and streamer, Philia-chan!" She excitedly puts up a v-sign and begins the stream."And welcome and to today's MMO Stream, It's a big day for you gamers out there."

"Today is the grand launch of the world's first Full-Dive VR MMORPG game: Remnant Sword Online!"

"The group of 8 players standing here in the picture I took earlier today, are some of the first people to get the first few copies of the game. I've heard from some my friends who beta tested the game that it was amazing. For those who don't know what Remnant Sword Online is, Remnant Sword Online is a the flagship game of the game company, Argus Gaming. Who also developed the first Full-Dive VR console for the game, the NerveGear."

"From what I've heard in the Beta, RSO was a PvE focused game with a PvP aspect. The game has 5 race-based factions, with each race based on an ancient culture of our world, each having their own unique strengths and abilities. The different races will form kingdoms, and fight for territory in the world of "Atlas".

"The world of "Atlas" is basically five regions connected to a central landmass where the Citadel, a fortress city resides and in its center is a crystal white spire-like palace called the "Crystal Spire". Each region is separated by a sea and each region has a distinct landscape and environment, which is home to to each race. The game is set into 2 distinct stages. The first stage is called Clearing Stage, where the races will work in their own regions to grow their nation's strength, and clear and clam land while working to breach the three Walls dungeon zones, as you work your way to the the central point of the world, the Citadel and to reach the top of the Crystal Spire, becoming the Champion Kingdom."

"First Stage sounds like a like a simple step, just clear the walls the fastest to reach the Citadel and take the Crown. A cake-walk right? Nope!"

"The Second Stage, is when the races are now fighting to secure, and beat the other races to conquer, and claim the title of the Champion Kingdom. So now you have to defend yourselves and invade other lands to gain strength to knock off the Champion Kingdom, claiming the title and mantle."

"Sounds like fun, Right?" She grinned and leaned towards the camera "But you know, viewers. I've heard rumours from the Beta Testers, that from what they have seen and heard in the Beta, the full game will actually have additional stages. That's really surprising ya' know. Do you know what's more, is that there's no magic in the game..."

He noticed someone enter his room, and he took off his headphones, glanced behind his chair and saw his younger sister peering in his doorway

"A-nii."

His younger sister, Ayase Rakurai, a 13- year old girl in junior high school, with her low twin-tails that hung below her shoulders, and bangs that partially covered her left eye. she was a prodigy in kendo and had participated in the National Junior Championships coming on on top as champion, nearly giving the seniors a run for their money.

But she had a more avid interest in gaming because of her brother usually spending countless hours with him just playing MMORPGS and MOBAS together under the online alias: "Ayasuki". However whenever she would be in a social setting she was extremely shy and introverted and only spoke to other people only when her brother was with her when talking with other people. Even then, she would be usually be hiding behind his shadow.

She peeked into the room before rushing over to hug him from behind. "A-nii! Hurry up and get ready, the game is gonna launch soon. Are you still watching the stream?"

"No, thanks to you." He turned around in his chair and lightly smacked her on the forehead with the rolled up magazine and stood up. She pouted and started lightly punching him in the chest and shoulders, which he laughed off and rubbed her head.

"When is Sensei getting back?" He asked.

"Not until 5:30 in the evening, A-nii."

The boy sighed as he put down his magazine and looked at the clock.

"12:45 PM"

He turned back to his sister "Ok, we will play until 5:15, then we have to logout to get ready for practice. You remember the plan?"

"Yeah, once we log in, we meet up at the Town Square in Hinasho in the Akatsuki Region, then we go hunting in the north-east field from the starting zone. Once we have finished levelling my character up to the appropriate level we will meet Tian and his guild in the Hong-Leng Region."

"Good." he smirked "You ready?"

She nodded "Definitely ready."

She turned to exit his room, shutting the door with a "Click."

"...I got lucky that I managed to get one copy of 150 000 limited copies, but I feel even more envious of the beta testers. Only a 1 000 chosen people got to play the closed beta of the game, that's so cool. The game launches today at 1:00 PM GST, so don't be late to pick up the NerveGear and dive in-."

He closed the stream and shut down his desktop computer, opening up his copy of RSO and placing the micro-cartridge in his NerveGear, starting it up and putting it on his head then laying on his bed. He watched the clock in the visor of the headset.

"12:59"

"13:00"

He grinned as he spoke the voice command that will begin his adventure, along with 150 000 other players.

...

 _"Link Start!"_

* * *

As soon as those words were uttered, his world went black. Then it exploded with a kaleidoscope of colours, that sped towards him as the NerveGear's OS began its activation sequence.

 _/BOOTING SYSTEM..._

 _/ESTABLISHING NEURAL SENSING PATHWAYS..._

 _..._

 _/SIGHT: ...OK_

 _/TOUCH: ...OK_

 _/HEARING: ...OK_

 _/SMELL: ...OK_

 _/TASTE: ...OK_

 _/LOADING GUI..._

 _..._

 _/NEURAL LINKAGE COMPLETE..._

 _..._

He felt himself enter a grey and black spherical room with the background of a starry night sky above azure clouds, his NerveGear's OS main menu room. He brought his hand up and activated the interface, opening the login screen and began logging in.

LOGIN: *****

PASSWORD: ***********

After his user authentication was completed the login screen changed to the main menu interface which consisted of a circle of hexagonal tabs, each relating to the functions and configuration of the NerveGear.

He opened the his games tab in the main menu and he activated the icon of Remnant Blade Online.

 _Loading Remnant Sword Online..._

 _"Detected Beta Test Created Character and Data, Do you want to skip character creation and use your previous in-game settings and character?"_

He selected "Yes" and then another rush of colours as he felt his consciousness burst out and felt as if he just surfaced out of a swimming pool and then came the words he been waiting for:

 _"WELCOME TO REMNANT SWORD ONLINE!"_

He felt himself being engulfed with a rush of blue light as his created character avatar formed into virtual existence. He was donned in a dark grey, long-sleeved chain mail with a leather vest and boots. He listening the sound of him being spawned, the rush of wind in his hair as he teleported in then came the sounds of the busting excitement of both players and NPCs, the soothing BGM being beamed to his head directly. He opened his eyes, and looked out at the starting city, _Hinasho_ and its bustling town square as he stood on the teleportation gate. and then down at his hand and clenched it into a fist. Feeling the new and familiar sensations, his face split into a grin as he spoke.

"I'm back in this world!"

He looked over the plaza at the rapidly growing crowd, who were awestruck at the world before them and the virtual fireworks.

He received a ping of notification, a message from the System which he opened.

 _"As thanks for participating in the Closed Beta of Remnant Sword Online you have been gifted with a Unlocked Codex Sphere which has the additional ability to create original Arts. And your custom weapon used in the Beta."_

 _"Items received: 1x Unlocked Codex, 1x Customised Unique Blade: Chidori, 5x EXP Potions"_

He equipped his custom blade which was a steel grey katana with small notches on its edge, near a small decorated hilt and bird shaped runes etched it and a dark wooden handle with maroon leather wrappings.

"A-nii!"

He turned and spotted his little sister jogging towards him, she wore a a simple dark green cloak and a leather armour and an armoured skirt.

"Were you going to run off without me already?" She complained, "that's mean, A-nii."

"Sorry." He apologised sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "Anyway, let's get a move on if we're going to claim the good farming spots." He turned towards the Northeastern Gate, with Ayasuki following close behind.

They soon began heading for the gateway to the Fields. As they were running through one of the streets he heard someone call out.

"Hey you, wait up!"

He turned and spotted a red-headed male player wearing a crimson bandana running past him, towards a black haired player ahead him, panting as he came to stop in front of him.

"Man you sure are fast." he panted recovering his stamina "Hey you were a beta tester right?"

"A Beta Tester?" Raiken wondered. "Wait a sec, I recognise that player!" He stopped to observe the scene playing out, causing his sister who was trailing behind him to run into him, mewling slightly and wondering why he stopped.

"Yeah, how could you tell?" the black haired boy asked cautiously.

The red-headed player scratched his hair and said sheepishly "Well, you looked like you know your way around the place, plus that custom blade." he pointed to the ornate black longsword with a western dragon engraving sheathed on his back "is the distinguishing feature of the Beta Testers."

"I see..." the black haired player smiled "So what do you need"

The red-headed player clasped his hands, bowed and asked, "My name is Klein. Please teach me how to play the game!"

"Really?" The black haired player asked.

"Yeah!" Klein nodded his head vigorously

The black-haired player paused, thinking about it before giving a small smile and said. "Erm...Ok, I guess"

"Kirito?" Raiken made his presence known to the two players.

"Eh, Raiken?" Kirito turned half-surprised. "What you doing here?"

"To see the wonderful sights of Atlas," Raiken sarcastically replied. "No, I came to play the game just like everyone else."

"Still as snarky as ever, Raiken." Kirito responded back with a small smile. Klein just looked at the the both of them "Do you two know each other?"

"Yeah we do," Kirito turned and faced Klein "We were part of the Closed Beta Test."

"Ah I see, you're another Beta Tester." Klein remarked "So that means you can help me too right?"

"You want training from me?"

"Yes please, I'm begging you."

"Hmm..." Raiken rubbed his chin in thought "Okay, I guess I'll help, besides my sister." he points behind him "Needs my help to level up, so it's more convenient this way. And might as well just kill two birds with one stone."

Klein jumped with joy as he grinned "Yahoo! Thank you guys!"

"Why are we helping this scraggy newbie." Ayasuki sourly whispered to her brother. "Aren't we on a time limit?" Which got her a smack on her head.

"Is that your sister?" Kirito asked as he noticed Ayasuki hiding behind Raiken.

"Yeah, that was my younger sister." Raiken turned back at his sister. "Don't be rude, Introduce yourself."

She looked sourly at her brother fully knowing what his intentions were, but she was met with a stern gaze. She relented and shyly peeked out, and softly whispered an almost inaudible. "Hello, My name is..." She paused and checked her username on her health bar at the top left of her HUD. "Ayasuki...I-I hope you can ge-get along withmyolderbrother!" She finished a little too quickly, embarrassment took over and she retreated back behind him.

Sigh* "Sorry, she's very shy and skittish around new people." Raiken apologised, bowing slightly "She usually leaves conversations to me, which I admit I'm not particularly good at either."

"Don't sweat it." Klein grinned un-abashed. "Ayasuki-chan, I hope we can get along together." He held out his hand to her.

Her eyes darted at Klein and the hand, to which she then extended her own from behind her brother about to shake it...

...And slapped it away, darting again behind her brother like a scared cat. Leaving Klein stunned, Raiken exasperated at her, and Kirito turning away with a cough.

Raiken laughed, mixed with a sigh of defeat. "Just accept that as a greeting." He unfolded his arms. "Anyway I'll properly introduce myself, I'm Raiken, Level 9, Ayasuki is Level 5."

"Kirito, Level 10."

"Klein, Level 3, Man I'm so gonna kick ass, they won't even see me coming!"

* * *

And soon enough, that's how they found themselves in the _Northeast_ _Plains_ near the city walls with Kirito, Klein, Raiken, and Ayasuki on the _Northern_ Zone in teams of two, each duo taking a different part of the field, with Kirito and Klein farming in a grassy area, and the second duo of of Raiken and Ayasuki farming nearby in a hilly area. But for now they were all together learning the basics from both Raiken and Kirito.

"Owww… They totally saw me coming!" The samurai wannabe cried out, falling on his butt as a " _Level: 03, Great Salamander"_ rammed his groin, causing him to lose 29% of his HP, and his pride.

Raiken face-palmed, "You have got to be kidding me. You were technically asking for it."

"You know, you actually don't really feel that much pain in this game. The pain inhibitors are set to 50%." Kirito grinned as he parried the next charge.

"Oh right, Habit I guess." Klein grinned sheepishly and got up, nursing his crotch "So why are most of my attacks not connecting? Am I doing something wrong?"

Kirito gave a small laugh rolling his eyes. "That's because you are not using your Blade Arts provided."

"Blade...Arts?" Klein asked, "What's that?"

Raiken sighed, "Did you not watch their panel in The Expo. The devs did give a explanation on the in-game mechanics in their short presentation."

"No, not really." Klein responded rubbing the back of his neck.

Raiken sighed, "Ok then, we are gonna teach you what the Arts are." he drew Chidori on his right hand.

Raiken then started off the tutorial, "Basically what the " _Arts"_ are the offensive and defensive skills like an RPG. They are split into two categories: _Blade Skills_ and _Martial Arts_."

"Those two categories are split into four different subcategories, but we will focus on the _"Blade Skills"_. There are the _"Proficiency Skills"_ , they are the skills that relate to weapon prowess and ability, and are related to how many _"Blade Arts"_ you can unlock. They also can help a player learn how to properly wield certain weapon types, so that you don't flail around with a sword like a idiot, then actually fail. But that's for the most likely majority of players who haven't actually learnt how to use a blade, the few players who have learned or were in the Beta Test disable that feature. Then you have the _"Blade Arts"_ , they are basically powerful single attacks executed with inhuman ability created by the system. And that will be our focus this training session." Kirito at that cue, brought his longsword _"Vox Unitas"_ , to his right side. Facing the overgrown lizard, he readied his stance as it began a charge attack pattern.

Kirito then took over the tutorial, "You just imagine your body in the correct input and think of the Blade Art to execute, then the system should take care of the rest and your body will automatically move in the stance to do the correct motion input to activate the skill…" freezing his hand at the apex of draw.

Suddenly the longsword began to glow a red glow with a soft whine, "…and just let it explode" suddenly slashing horizontally at an impossible speed, striking the charging lizard and stopping its charge and depleting 20% of its Health Bar, causing it to crash at its side.

"The system ensures that the attack always connects if you aim it properly," Kirito spoke as he observed Ayasuki charge the fallen lizard with her wakizashi, but she didn't see that the tail was still moving and it rushed to smash into her, but she was pushed away by Raiken, as he parried the still moving tail with a 1-hit upward half-spin Blade Art freezing for just a second before bringing his left hand to grip the katana 2-handedly.

Kirito continued, "Unless you can block it or parry it with another skill or if you're fast enough; Dodge the attack. Be careful using more advanced skills though. the more advanced the Blade Art is the longer a movement penalty there is."

Suddenly Raiken's right foot glowed green and he jumped further and higher than a normal jump, leaving a small crater in the ground and over the return strike of the tail. He placed his katana over his right shoulder and it glowed purple and with a flash, brought the blade downwards, completely bisecting the lizard, and it burst into simmering polygons. Raiken then swung his blade to the side, flicking off the non-existent blood and sheathing his katana. Dismissing the EXP and Loot screen before turning to his sister, giving her the same lecture.

Raiken turned and gave them both a thumbs up, which Kirito and Klein both returned, then turned with Ayasuki to attack another lizard nearby.

Kirito turned back towards Klein "Which brings me to the _Martial Arts_." Kirito looked around and spotted another _Great Salamander_ nearby. "The other categories of _"Arts"_ are the _"Martial Arts"_ , they are both active and passive skills. They concern your player's avatar physical combat abilities and strengths. Every player has a basic aptitude on the art and have access to the basic skills, like _"Force Enhancement"_ which are short bursts of abilities that act like Blade Arts, but on the body. Allowing you to to either punch harder and more faster than a normal punch, or make a jump that's higher and further than a normal jump. Like what Raiken used to evade the Salamander's tail. And there's the passives like _"Passive Reinforcement"_ , which are overall boosts to your stats. Improving those basics skills will help boost the Passive skill. However they limited to the set basic art form, you can only go so far with the basics. Luckily each region has different schools of forms of _"Advanced Martial Arts"_ , which focuses on particular forms and stats also giving the user some pretty unique abilities like energy attacks, and maybe even flight. But for now let's focus your Blade Arts."

When they got into it's aggro range, it noticed them and began its charge. "Remember, just let your body get into the correct motion input..." He brought his longsword to bear above his shoulder next to his head in a stabbing position, his sword glowed bright yellow and hummed with power. When the lizard was less than 3 meters away. "...and unleash it" He charged, and unleashed the skill, bursting forward and rapidly closing the remaining short distance, stabbing the lizard and stunning it, knocking off 50% of its health, stopping it's charge.

Klein looked at Kirito, then back to his basic Iron Sabre, muttering to himself. "Just let your body get into the correct motion input and unleash it huh?" Klein muttered he as he drew his Iron Sabre and he experimentally placed the sword on his hip and the curved sword hummed and glowed bright orange with the potential energy, waited to be unleashed.

Kirito smiled, he knew that Blade Art: _Reaver's Edge,_ "That's it. You got it and now, just let it explode!" he cheered.

Klein charged forward, slashing the stunned lizard horizontally across its length with a spiral after effect around the air left behind in the wake of his charge dealing a _Critical Hit_ and depleting its health from the 50 percent all the way to 0. It flickered then burst into shimmering polygons.

Then the EXP and loot gain screen appeared.

Klein, being overly excitable yelled out, "YEAH I DID IT!" pumping his sword and fist in the air. Kirito just gave a bemused smile and congratulated Klein.

"Congrats, you can now slay the equivalent of a level 1 to 3 slime in other RPGs."

"Wait what! I thought that was a mid-level mob or something." Klein yelled shocked.

"Well you thought wrong." Raiken laughed as he approached the two players, leaving Ayasuki to herself.

"You lied to me, guys!" Klein cried.

"Since when?" Raiken retorted, "We didn't say anything about the levels of the monsters where we were going."

Klein chortled "Relax buddy, I was just messing with you guys" he grinned.

He then activated _Reaver's_ _Edge_ again, getting a feel for the skill, Kirito quips "It's pretty exciting right?"

"Yeah!" Klein grinned, he started to play around with his sword as he spoke. "There are lots of other skills in the game right? Like blacksmithing, crafting, and stuff right?"

"Technically yes, there is almost an unlimited amount of skills." Raiken spoke as he watched Ayasuki fight off a Salamander, "But there's no real form of magic, at least not in the traditional sense, and the closest thing to it is the _Blade Arts_ and _Martial Arts_ , in which very few, can do some elemental damage. And some of the high tier of items, which are only found in dungeons which can achieve feats of unprecedented and powerful new _Arts_."

"No magic huh." Klein spoke, "Pretty bold and unique direction for them." he charged Reaver's Edge again.

"Well they did say that they wanted to keep this realistic as possible without ruining the RPG experience, so they said 'Hey, why not just change the whole magic system with the _"Arts"_ system'. " Raiken responded, shrugging his shoulders.

Klein charged forward as the skill activated, then started giggling like a kid in a candy store.

"But I gotta say, it is definitely cool" Raiken smiled at the red-headed antics.

"Yeah, it is!" Klein turned with a giddy look on his face. "By the way how is Ayasuki-chan doing?"

They turned to see her just weaving around and slashing a group of three Salamanders who ganged up on her. However they were too slow, and soon enough. All three of them burst into polygons.

She just sheathed her wakizashi, and absentmindedly checked the EXP and loot. But when they called and approached her, she skittishly ran towards her brother and darted behind him again.

"Ferocious as a tiger, but as skittish as a cat." Klein just laughs, Kirito just smiled in amusement, and Raiken gave a soft chuckle before pointing to more respawned Salamanders.

"Do you wanna do some more practice?"

"Hell yeah!" Klein jumped up in glee as they went to another field.

* * *

 _4 hours later_

Raiken and Kirito was teaching Klein and Ayasuki how to "switch" effectively when they stopped at a safe zone on a nearby knoll that had a overlooking view of the starting city of _Hinasho_ , and the surrounding landscapes. And in the distance over in the horizon, you could see the Crystal Spire and it's bright white tower of its namesake.

"Okay let's take a break." Kirito spoke, sheathing his blade on his back.

"Right!" Klein then sheathed his Iron Sabre, and sat down on the grass.

"Ah, this is the life." Raiken sighed, plopping down on the grass."I'm glad to be lucky enough that I'm living in this very time and age, that technology has advanced this far for us to experience this fantasy world with our own eyes."

"I agree." Kirito drew his sword and raised it to eye level and pointed at the distant landscape, to the amazing view, "In this world, a single blade can really take you anywhere. Breaking the limitations in the real world, giving you fame and fortune. That's why I can enjoy this world so much!" He turned to face them, and smiled a small excited grin.

Klein sat up and laughed full of mirth, while Raiken gave a soft chuckle from his chest while closing his eyes and began power napping, with Ayasuki joining him, her head on his chest and laying down in a position diagonal to his chest.

"Man, you guys are really into this, aren't you?" Klein chuckled.

"To be honest during the beta test, RSO was all I thought about day and night. I got even more higher and further than any other player and was known among them as the 'Black Swordsman', or the 'Kuro-yasha'." He laughed sheepishly, "Raiken, here was well known among the Beta Testers as the fastest power leveller out of all 1000 of us" Kirito laughed.

"I remember just screaming with joy when I found out I got in the Closed Beta Test, I then just rushed out and bought all the hardware for it and just started playing."

"Same here." Raiken mumbled sleepily, a small smile gracing his lips.

Klein laughed, "You guys are a bunch of lucky hardcores, at least you got to be in the beta test, unlike us casual peasants. You know as soon as I heard about RSO I went and bought all the hardware for it and bought one of the first eight copies of RSO"

"For a lowly casual peasant, that should be a plus for you right?" Raiken opening one eye, and laughed out.

"Ha-ha! Right!" Klein grinned.

Raiken sat up, waking up Ayasuki and she got up, wiping off the drool on her face, stretching her arms and yawning, "Well, we've taught you everything we know about the basic mechanics of the game. So do you still want to do some more training just to get used to it, or do you want to call it a day?" He asked.

"Yeah, lets train!" Klein sat up, but then a growling noise sounded, not from the monsters around them, but from his stomach. They stared at Klein for a second before the three guys laughed out loud and the only girl in the party just softly giggling.

Klein laughing still, spoke. "But I guess not then, I've got to eat my dinner before training, Ehehehe!"

"You came prepared already, didn't you?" Raiken smiled.

"You betcha," Klein stands up, brushing off the grass on his legs. "I've got a nice pizza and a ginger ale waiting for me at 5:30 later tonight!"

"Sounds delicious," Kirito smirks "So it's goodbye for now right?"

"Right!" Klein grins "So after dinner, I'm meeting my friends from my old guild from a another MMO later. Want to go meet up and be friends with them?"

Kirito paused and looked hesitant, while Raiken looked thoughtful, he still wanted to meet with his good friend and his guild. "Damn, We were going to meet Tian and his guild in the Hong-Leng region after dinner and practice later, at 9 'o clock." He thought hesitantly, but Klein must have seen that look, and thought he was going to say no.

"It's alright if you don't want to, but let's be friends at least." Klein back-pedalled.

"It's not that! It's just that I'm busy, I've got dinner and kendo practice later, after that I've got friends to meet up too. I don't know about Kirito there, though." Raiken laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. "So I've really got no time, but sure let's be friends." They sent each other friend requests, and shook hands after they accepted them.

Kirito just declined the request to meet up, stating that he didn't like big crowds of friends. But still accepted the friend addition.

Ayasuki just straight up declined both of them. Which slightly dented Klein feelings.

"Thank you Sensei, I'll put your training to good use." Klein grins.

"No problem just message me or Kirito if you need something okay?" Raiken laughs.

"Roger!"

Klein turns opens the menu to logout as they begin to part ways.

As the trio of Raiken, Kirito and, Ayasuki turned back to head back to town, they heard Klein mutter, "Huh?" they looked back and spotted Klein scratching his head and staring at his menu. "That's odd."

"What's wrong?" Raiken asks as they returned to him wondering.

"The Logout Button, its not there" Klein responded spamming the button.

"What? You're not serious are you" Raiken retorted as he brought his menu up.

"It should be at the settings menu right here…" Kirito opened his menu, but suddenly paused in surprise when they saw where the Logout Button should be…

…Was just a blank tab.

* * *

"What?" Kirito asked surprised.

"See what I mean." Klein spoke.

"But that doesn't make sense. Why isn't there one, shouldn't a game breaking bug like this should be reported in already?" Raiken asked.

"So is there no other way to log out" Klein cried, "Come on man, don't lie to me, there has to be a another way. Come on, Logout, Escape, Leave! CRT-ALT-DELETE!" He yelled doing random poses as if they will make him escape.

A soft chilling breeze blew across them, swishing the grass and making the leaves of the nearby trees rustle, putting the sense of unease in the group of four.

Raiken furrowed his brows and spoke, "No, there is no other way to logout manually. The only way that we can leave without logging out is that the Game Masters or the developers shuts down the servers manually logging everyone out. Speaking of which have you even contacted the GM support yet?"

"Yeah, but they are not responding." Klein spoke, showing the screen and the awaiting GM support screen. "I guess it's the first day and they are still solving everyone's problems at the same time."

"Well they better solve them fast" Kirito spoke as he glanced at his clock. "It's 5:25 already."

Klein looked at his clock and cries, "NOOOOO! Not my pizza and ginger ale!" He started grabbing his head as if that will remove the NerveGear.

"How do I get this thing off?"

"Stop, its pointless, remember? Kirito said the NerveGear intercepts all neuromuscular signals to your brain. You can't move your body, nor call for help!" Raiken yells grabbing his arms.

"No way..." Klein whispered, "I live alone! Crap, the only one who would know is the pizza delivery guy, what about you guys?" Raiken releasing his arms.

"We are living with my kendo teacher who should be getting dinner ready by now, She probably would've noticed by now." He answered, looking uneasy and tensed, his sister looking at him worriedly.

"A-nii, Something's wrong." She tugged on his sleeve, looking quite worried and frightened.

"I know, Aya" he whispered and held her hand tightly, as if promising her that everything will be fine "I promise we will figure what's going on, Right guys?"

"Yeah, We will figure this out, don't worry Ayasuki-chan."

"Yeah" Kirito nodded but still looked a little uneasy.

She nodded and calmed down a little.

Klein looked worriedly before turning to Kirito "What about you Kirito."

"I live with my mom and younger sister they should be getting dinner ready as wel-woah!"

Suddenly Klein grabbed both his arms excitedly "Really? How old is your sister, is she hot? Please you got to tell me, please please, please, plea…Ahhh!"

He suddenly fell down as Ayasuki suddenly kicked him in his nuts and started stepping on him, while Raiken just started beating him with a sheathed Chidori.

"That was seriously unfunny. Can't you read the mood, you idiotic pervert!" Raiken shouted in anger. "You want me to cut off your ****!"

"Guys, calm down," Kirito tried to placate the both of them. "I'm sure he didn't mean any harm by it, even if it was extremely inappropriate."

Klein groaned clutching his nuts, and gulps as he saw Raiken glaring at him.

"Sorry" Klein got up "I was just trying to ease the tension."

Raiken sighed, relenting but still a little on edge, his feet pacing. "I'm just worried, I am getting a bad feeling about this, and I need to make sure that my sister is safe, this unknown situation is really unnerving me."

"A-nii..." She looked at him worried.

Suddenly the loud gong of a bell sounded and echoed over the entire field as they suddenly felt the sensation of being teleported away. They found themselves and every player that was currently in the region all in the town square.

Murmurs spread throughout the town square of the starting city of _Hinasho_ , as the rest of the players in the _Akatsuki_ Region teleported in.

"What's going on?"

"Why are we all here?"

"Is this the introductory tutorial?"

"I'm scared."

"Must be a system announcement.'

Raiken looked around the plaza wondering "This isn't normal. What in the world is going on right now?"

"What is going on right now?" Klein wondered

"I don't know" Kirito responded looking around "but it must be a pretty serious announcement for the system to forcibly gather the players here"

"I bet it's about the logout bug" Klein spoke with his arms crossed.

A loud alert sounded and a single bright red hexagon with the words "System Announcement" appeared over the skies.

Soon after more and more appeared and spread until they covered over the skies creating a blood red sky effect. Suddenly static sparked in-between the hexagons as a strange blood red coloured smoke poured out and formed into a giant floating red flickering cloud.

"What the Hell?"

The cloud started to form a coherent shape, forming into a giant hooded being and where the face should be was an empty black void. He put his hands forward and spoke in a cool distorted voice.

"Welcome Players to Remnant Sword Online, to my world."

"My world?" Raiken asked before he realised: the main developer himself, Kayaba Akihiko.

"As many of you know that the Log Out button is not there. I can assure you that this is not a defect, I repeat this is not a defect!"

"What?" Raiken widened his eyes.

Murmurs of shock, and the disbelief that this is even happening, began to reverberate across the plaza.

"No way It's a prank right? Its gotta be."

"I bet the devs behind this are laughing at our expense."

"It's all just an elaborate joke."

"Screw this! I'm outta here." Two players shouted and tried to leave, only to have an invisible barrier block them "What the…What is this bullshit!"

The Avatar didn't respond but continued its speech, ignoring the shouts of the players, as if they were nothing to it, but regarded as mere toys to be played with.

"There in no means of escape, there's now only one way to escape: Clear the game."

It displayed a model of the world: the five regions, and the three walls that encircled the five-armed spiral landmass, and in the centre, a tall crystal spire stood.

"Where you stand is the starting point of your Race." marking a red dot at the southeastern arm of the five-armed spiral. the starting city of _Hinasho_. "This is where you'll begin your progress and journey to clear the three Walls and its fortress dungeons that block your route. Once you make your way and clear each wall and reach the center of the world where the _Citadel_ _Fortress_ dungeon city is located and ascend the _Crystal Spire_ and beat the boss you effectively clear the game."

Klein wondered, "Beat the Boss in the _Crystal_ _Spire_ , is it really that simple?" While Raiken clenched his fists in frustration.

"No, it's not that simple" Raiken stated "it was implied in the in-game lore of the Beta that there are new stages and expansions in the full game. I highly doubt that the final boss in the Crystal Spire is the actual final boss."

But before Klein could even respond to that implication, the Avatar continued on.

"Also as of this moment, there are no more means of resurrection and re-spawn in the game. Once your HP reaches zero, your in-game avatar will be lost and…"

The floating Avatar paused as if contemplating its next response. The sky darkened and the sudden chilling sensation of dread, spread across the entire plaza.

"Your NerveGear will destroy your brain ending your life in the virtual and the real world."

"What?" Came the collective response from the players.

"Also any attempt or form of forced removal of the NerveGear will also result in the death penalty, and the additional penalty of the internal battery self-destructing. The media and Global-Net has spread the news across the world and all of you are being moved to hospitals as we speak. So the risk of your NerveGear being removed forcibly, and death from an outside source is now slim to none."

The Avatar began displaying multiple screens of news coverage of the events that have transpired and that when players realised that this speech was being streamed live to the world.

...

 _"New VR game takes lives."_

 _"Is even VR gaming safe? Two found dead, raising Death Toll to 217!"_

 _"VR Tech corporations take big hits as VR "Death Game" has taken 217 lives!"_

 _"World in uproar as new VRMMORPG Remnant Sword Online traps 150 000, 217 dead already!"_

 _"150 000 players trapped in 'Death Game'!"_

 _..._

The screens show the different reactions to the situation: News of the various deaths, families weeping and mourning, and uproars, all because of this game.

The whole plaza gasped in shock and fear. Klein shakily turned and asked. "What? Is that possible?"

Kirito responded, "Yes it is possible; the NerveGear's neural interfaces are specially designed EM emitters in order to block out our brainwaves to stop any movement in the body for safety and so that the brain can focus on the VR experience, if you can turn the safety off it can emit a powerful EM burst strong enough to fry and cook your brain and I don't think that removing it quickly will help as the NerveGear has a powerful long-lasting internal battery."

"What! You mean that's possible?" Klein faced to Kirito in shock, "It is possible." Raiken mused softy deep in thought.

Their conversation was interrupted by another announcement.

"Lastly there is a little introductory gift in your Inventory. I highly suggest you check it."

Raiken opened his inventory and spotted a peculiar item: Small Mirror He tapped the item and a small handheld mirror appear on his hands showing his avatar appearance. "What?"

Klein yelled out as a bright light engulfed him, soon after more, and more players were engulfed in a bright light, then Raiken himself was engulfed in it.

As he was recovering from it he heard Klein's voice, "Hey, you guys okay?"

"I'm alright." He turned around and instead of seeing Klein's avatar: what used to be a young handsome man with long hair, he saw a man in his mid-20s with rugged features and short spiked up red hair and a scruffy beard.

"Klein?"

"Huh? Raiken, is that you?" Klein asked pointing at him.

"Huh?" he looked at the mirror in his hand and looking back at him wasn't a young man with sharp features and long hair tied into a pony tail that went to his chin lengthwise on the right side of his face. Instead it was a young teenage boy with slight effeminate features and fringed flattened spiky dark blue almost black hair and dark turquoise eyes. "My real life appearance!" He widened his eyes.

He turned to Kirito to find his appearance changed what was sharp-faced man, was replaced by a boy with a effeminate face and short black hair.

Shouts of surprise echoed across the players.

Every player's avatar seemed have changed to their real life forms.

"Our RL appearances? How does it know our real looks?" Klein exclaims.

"The NerveGear covers your head with a high density signalling device and has a special facial recognition system using the Global-Net and the EM scanning system in tandem to "see" our faces. Also remember the calibration you had to touch you own body, that's probably how it got the data for our body builds, and how it knows our gender is probably both data collecting systems working in tandem." Kirito explained the best he could.

Raiken thought to himself "Why? First you trap us then create a death penalty and the possibility of us dying in real life then alter our avatars to our RL appearances?"

He clenched his fists.

"But why? What is going on in your mind? Kayaba!"

Klein interrupted his thoughts with a rant.

"Why? Why is this happening? What going on? What is the point in all this?"

"I don't know." Kirito answered the best he could looking back that the Avatar above them "But I get the feeling he's going to tell us all."

The Avatar continued on, closing the various screens.

"I bet your all wondering: Why? Why would Kayaba Akihiko, the legendary Main Developer of the NerveGear and Remnant Sword Online do something like this?"

"I'll tell you this: My goal has already been achieved, I created Remnant Sword Online for one purpose and one purpose alone: To create this world and rule and intervene in it as its King and its God."

Raiken clenched his fist, gritted his teeth and glared at the Avatar "Kayaba!"

"Thus ends the Introductory Tutorial for the Remnant Blade Online launch. This is your reality now. Good Luck, Players." the Avatar finished, dealing the final blow.

Suddenly smoke poured out of it as it started flickering, it began to seemingly melt and disappear before it was engulfed in a bright light as it flashed out of existence, only smoke remaining as the red skies overhead snapped back to their normal colour as if nothing even happened.

Silence reined, the players too shocked by the sudden chain of events that have just transpired. This was supposed to be a fun game, not life and death. The despair was palpable across the entire plaza, "Why was this happening?" was the question on everyone's minds, the thick tension slowly began cracking in the air. Then like a pin dropping in a pond as the shock slowly began began to wear off, it shattered, panic and anger erupted across the plaza.

"Let us out!"

"Screw You!"

"I can't stay here! I have an important meeting after this!"

"NONONONONONOnonono..no..."

"DAMM YOU KAYABA!"

Some players just stood there catatonic, their minds unable to process what's even happening to them right now.

Some players who were weak in heart wailed and cried, because they couldn't return to their families or the real world.

Some players reacted strangely. Laughing like insane fanatics on their knees, their eyes bloodshot. Some were on the ground worshipping the Avatar like some kind of god. Some danced with glee, it showed that they have completely lost it in a short amount of time.

Other players reacted by fighting: punching and drawing swords at each other even though they were in a Safe Zone.

Raiken looked worried and developed a cold sweat as he was surveying the chaos.

"A-nii..."

He turned to Ayasuki and saw that she trembling in fear.

"I'm scared, how do we get home?" She asked teary-eyed.

He didn't know how to answer her, just like the one time when they were kids.

" _Where is Papa and Mama?" spoke a young Ayase_

He mentally shook off the encroaching memories, and focused on calming his terrified little sister.

"Oh no, this is getting of control and Aya is starting to panic. I need to calm her down and focus her on getting out of here." He thought as he shook off the lingering shock and suppressed his worry.

"Shh Aya, calm down, it's okay. I'll get us out of here, so don't let go of my hand " he gripped her hand tightly and faced her with a determined expression.

Her eyes widened slightly and she quickly rubbed her tears and gave a small nod, matching her brother's expression.

He smiled in the midst of the chaos and looked around the plaza, he then felt a hand tap his shoulder. He whirled around hand, on Chidori expecting combat, but relaxed when he saw Kirito "It's just Kirito, did he figure out something?"

Kirito silently gestured to a path leading to the Northeastern Gate, and that's when Raiken realised something.

The barrier around the plaza was down!

"Come with me Klein, Raiken. This place is unsafe." Kirito whispered before tugging on his arm, and dragged him away to a quiet street. With Raiken and Ayasuki following close behind.

Klein yelled out in surprise as he was dragged off.

* * *

As they reached an empty street that's near the exit gate that leads to the path unto the Northeastern Fields and to the next village. Kirito turned to the party and opened up his Codex Sphere and displayed the map of the region "Klein, Raiken, Ayasuki, listen to me: I'm heading to the next village right now because soon the nearby fields will become major farming grounds and will be picked clean within a few hours, so to move and level efficiently we need to be at the next village by at least the next two hours. Are you coming?"

He turned to Klein who was looking down dejectedly.

"I can't." Klein spoke softly "I spent a night with my friends from the other game just for this game they're probably out there back in the plaza lost and panicking right now. I can't just leave them behind. What about your friends, Raiken? Aren't you leaving them behind?"

"They can handle themselves, I know their leader pretty well. He's good at taking control of a situation; he's pretty strategic in most things and his guild get along and work together like a well-oiled machine and I will just get in the way. They will be fine without me." He chuckled humorlessly as he looked at his level.

"Level: 12, HP: 750/750"

"Besides I'm kinda of a lone wolf, I don't really work well in a group that's more than three. I'll slow them down and risk getting them killed right now." he spoke solemnly averting his eyes.

"But me and Ayasuki going with you Kirito, it's better to travel in a small group rather than alone, especially now." he turned to Kirito, who thought for a second and nodded.

"I see then," He looked a little down but he smiled. "I guess I don't have to really worry to much about you guys." Klein suddenly gripped both his sensei's shoulders "Go, you guys. Don't worry about me I'll put all of your training and my experience in a past guild I used to run into good use and get by" he flashes a confident grin and gives him a thumbs up.

Kirito frowned with regret before giving a small smile and sighs,

"Alright then. This is goodbye I guess." He opened his party menu and kicked Klein turning towards the gate, He walked hesitatingly a few steps towards the gate before glancing to Klein, adding. "If you need any help or something urgent happens just send me a message. Got it?"

"Will do, sensei" Klein nods.

"Right, Farewell and Good Luck, Klein." Raiken wished his friend luck, and solemnly turns away from him, trying his best to not look back with Ayasuki close behind following him. They walked a little further, but then Klein yells.

"Guys!"

They stopped for second. And glanced back at Klein. He looked like he needed to say something but couldn't say it. Raiken couldn't bear it but he had to so he hardened his expression and turned away his mind full of regret and continued walking.

"GUYS!"

They finally stopped and looked back at Klein. "What is it, Klein?" Kirito asked looking conflicted.

Klein smiled and said, "Just saying you know. You guys are actually pretty cute, and super strong too. I bet you all the ladies will go for someone like you guys!"

Raiken quirked his eyebrows and turns in surprise, "Is that so?"

"Yep."

"Ha-ha. Well I guess then with you with your renegade like-face which suits you 20 times better and with your wannabe samurai antics I'm sure you're bound to get a large harem" Raiken half-heartedly jokes, He then turned and ran towards the exit gate.

As the Beta Testers runs a few meters, they stopped and looked back at where Klein was and saw that he's gone. Kirito clenches in regret and anger at himself before stifling his wet tears, Raiken just looked solemnly at the spot, wishing him luck, and prayed for his safety, burying the sorrow and frustration at himself.

"A-nii" Ayasuki once again tugged Raiken's sleeve but instead for the wet eyes off fear and terror, it was shimmering tears of hardened resolve, as if saying "Let's go."

He nods, looking at Kirito who looked back at him and acknowledged. And they turned forward with a final hardened resolve and runs out of the gate and unto the path that would be a new journey.

As they ran along the dirt path, his mind began opening up the floodgates of his memories of what his life had been before.

...

 _He saw Ayase beside him practicing kendo with him and his fuzzy memory of parents watching them with their aunt and uncle, and their Sensei who trained them when he was a kid._

 _He saw himself lying on the bloody pavement when his parents died in a car accident 6 months after._

 _He saw himself sitting in tears in next to his bawling sister in the hospital as the tragic news broke to them._

 _He saw himself and his sister locked in his room playing MMOs and distancing themselves away from his arguing aunt and uncle._

 _He saw the face of his drunk uncle beating him up calling them a useless burden, and that they should've died with their parents, the crying face of his younger sister when she took the blows for him and the furious look on Sensei's face as she beat his uncle and took them away._

 _He saw the sorrowful face of Sensei when she bandaged both of them up and swore to protect both of them and took them in as family._

 _He finally saw the shocked and horrified face of Sensei as she saw him and his sister's unconscious forms being carted out because of this death game._

 _..._

He was brought back to the present, as he heard the spawning of three _Level 7: Feral Wolves_ and charged at them.

He narrowed his eyes, sprinting as he drew Chidori, with Ayasuki and Kirito doing the same, and prepared for combat with his resolve locking on; He began making a final resolution to himself.

"I will…No, I am…going to survive in this world…"

He charged and put the katana to a drawing position as he activated the charge for the 1-hit _Blade_ _Art_ as it glowed a bright green he burst forward and aimed at the wolf in the left rear of the pack slashing it into two and leaving a green wake behind him. Ayasuki drew her wakizashi, and as if she left an afterimage behind and she suddenly warped forward and slashed the wolf in the forward right

"I'll break its limitations"

Kirito planted his foot foot hard and his foot and sword glowed a bright blue with a _Blade_ Art, and he charged accelerating forward leaving a blue line behind him and bisecting the wolf in one go as he rushed past them.

"I'll…I'll…NO…" he thought as he continued running and he screamed out in his teary rage to their new reality.

"I'M GOING TO BEAT THIS WORLD!"


End file.
